UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 57, ISSUE 8
Colon on the Green
Round two results in senior night defeat
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and UAB held it’s inaugural event to raise awareness for prevention. Read more on Page 2.
UAB Men’s Basketball faced off with the FIU Panthers for a second time, resulting in a bittersweet defeat in the senior’s final home game. Read more on Page 8.
The
Kaleidoscope 2017/2018 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
Meet your candidates Wilder to bring athletic grit to bettering student life, relations
Mokashi plans to use experience, data to make change on campus
Sufia Alam Campus Reporter This year two candidates, Mughda Mokashi and Jimmeshia Wilder, will be running for the Undergraduate Student Government Association presidency. Coming from different backgrounds, each candidate hopes to utilize their unique experiences and qualifications as president.
Mughda Mokashi Mokashi, a junior in neuroscience and public health and has been involved with multiple student life organizations on campus since the beginning of her freshman year. She also served as director of student issues
Jimmeshia Wilder
under the division of the executive vice president prior to the election. Through these experiences, Mokashi has acquired many skills in leadership and management. Additionally, Mokashi recognizes the importance of
passion and admiration for UAB and what it offers and a strong desire to put power back in the hands of students. Wilder serves on UAB’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was an intern with the senior athletic
Wilder is a junior in political science and a student-athlete with the women’s track team and hopes to use her background as a source of empowerment and experience. The main inspiration behind her candidacy is her
See MOKASHI, Page 9
See WILDER, Page 9
SIDEWALK SCRAMBLE
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR A memorized audience stares fixedly up at the Carver Theater screen Thursday, March 2, during the 2017 Sidewalk Scramble short-film festival. Read more on Page 5.
MARCH QUILT PROJECT
FIVE POINTS
This year’s Sew-Op inspired by ruling on Loving v. Virginia
Tamara Imam Branding and Outreach Manager
‘Love is love’: Sewing Hotel Highland to get modern upgrade a story of equality Wallace Golding Community Reporter
F
ollowing a previous two successful campaigns, Bib and Tucker Sew-Op, a Birmingham-based sewing cooperate, kicked off its third March Quilt Project last week from their Fifth
Avenue South offices in the area bordering the Avondale and Woodlawn neighborhoods. Year three is marked with a theme commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia ruling by the United States Supreme Court, a landmark civil rights decision that knocked down laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Though this year’s theme was made more by committee than any one individual’s decision, issues like these are what the organization
See LOVE, Page 9
Hotel Highland in Five Points South recently announced that it would soon begin the process of rebranding into Hotel Indigo, a popular boutique hotel with locations across the country. Renee Deason, the general manager of Hotel Highland, says the rebranding will follow major renovations, which will begin within the next few weeks.
The Hotel Indigo in Birmingham will join two other properties in Alabama, including one in Orange Beach and one in Tuscaloosa, which opened just last year. Deason says that each Hotel Indigo has its own story, usually based on the history of the city in which it is located. For now, she says that she cannot divulge the story of Birmingham’s Hotel Indigo, but that it will likely be based on the history of Five Points. “[Guests can expect] a total
See HOTEL, Page 9
INSIDE CAMPUS
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OPINIONS
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COMMUNITY
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LIFE & STYLE
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SPORTS
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Campus
Page 2 March 7, 2017
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PHOTO BY EMILY COX-OLDHAM/ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Rumpshaker, Inc., an organization that hosts the annual Rumpshaker 5K, brought their inflatable colon to the inaugural Colon on the Green.
‘One of the most preventable’ Tessa Case Managing Editor There’s only one appropriate reaction when a student sees a giant, inflatable colon sitting on their campus green: check out what’s going on. Friday, March 3 marked UAB’s inaugural Colon on the Green, an informational community outreach event in honor of March’s status as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, according to Director of Employee Wellness at UAB Anna Threadcraft. “Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers,” Threadcraft said. “People don’t talk about it as much because it has to do with your colon, so we wanted to come up with a fun, engaging theme to talk about a serious cancer and raise awareness for the prevention of it.” The event featured many UAB organizations, including representatives from the UAB Recreation Center, UAB Employee Wellness, the UAB Police Department, the school of nursing, the school of health professions and the American Cancer Society. One of the highlighted guests, however, was Rumpshaker, Inc., the owners of the inflatable colon. “We do community events to raise colon cancer awareness,” said Jacky Turner, the development assistant at Rumpshaker, Inc. “Our foundation
puts on a 5K at the end of this month, down at Regions Field on March 25.” Turner said that community outreach events are vital to the organization as participation and funds raised during the 5K allow their organization to provide support groups, scholarships and financial assistance to people affected by colorectal cancer or their families. More information about these services is available at www.rumpshakerinc.org. Threadcraft, who, according to Turner, has been a long-term partner with Rumpshaker, Inc. at a former job as well, sparked the event. “She is very passionate about colon health,” Turner said. “With March being Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, she invited us to bring the colon and have the Colon on the Green Event.” According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States, the third leading cause of death of women in the United States and the second leading cause of death in men in the United States. Their expected death rate from colon cancer for 2017 is 50,260. Threadcraft, who is also a registered dietitian, said that the typical age to start screening for colon cancer via colonoscopies
is at the age of 50, but individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer or cancerous polyps should screen much sooner than that. Turner added that diseases such as colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are much more common in younger populations, put individuals at an increased risk for colorectal cancer later in life. Treating these diseases and monitoring their effects, she said, play a major role in the prevention of colorectal cancer later in life. The benefits of awareness extend beyond the individual, according to Jacob Adams, sophomore in biology and kinesiology. Awareness of when to start screening or discussion of family history with relatives also increases the awareness of those family members, who may be due for screening, he said. Even going as far as screening themselves, individuals can serve as a reminder to others to participate actively with their health. “You know, it’s never too young,” said Claudia Hardy, the program director for the office of community outreach at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. “So, what we tell younger people, particularly college-aged students, are the messages of healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco control and, then, learning early when their cancer screenings [should] take place.” Hardy also encouraged
students to start getting in the habit of eating a healthy diet that is plant-based, high in fiber and to eat five more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. “A lot of people, especially when we’re students, we look for this quick fix to health, to lose weight, to have this outcome” Threadcraft said. “Look at your health as an investment for the long-term. Small changes you make now have an impact down the road. So, if you’re not exercising, start walking three times a week for 10 or 15 minutes. Start small, then after two or three weeks, increase to 20 minutes three or four times a week. Whether it’s being active more or paying attention to what you’re eating or drinking, make small changes that you can stick with.” Lauren Ranson, senior in nursing and volunteer at Colon on the Green, hopes the message of awareness and prevention spreads to everyone. “Not even just students, young adults don’t think ‘hey, I need to get screened for colon cancer,’” she said. “So I hope they understand the importance of going and getting a regular physical, and, if you’re having signs and symptoms, go get it checked out because it could be more serious than what you’re thinking.” Tessa Case can be reached at managin@insideuab.com and on Twitter @tessedup.
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER
Hate, resistance, justice among themes at lecture Organization representatives bring message of tolerance Sufia Alam Campus Reporter Fighting hate, teaching tolerance and seeking justice are the three basic pillars for the Southern Poverty Law Center. On Monday, Feb. 27, the group met with UAB students in the Humanities Building in order to discuss these ideas and their implications for college campuses. Lecia Brooks, the outreach director for the SPLC, and Daniel Davis, the campus coordinator for the SPLC, were invited by the UAB College Democrats to present their organization’s mission, which is to “fight hate and teach tolerance while giving a voice to the marginalized and oppressed in this country,” Davis said. “We have around 917 active hate groups in our country,” Brooks said. “The fact that we refuse to address it is a major problem. When we receive 12 bomb threats in one
day to a religious minority in 2017, we need to take action. Now.” According to Brooks, the SPLC defines a hate group as any group that maligns or demeans another group due to another individual’s characteristics and encourages others to harm them. Hate speech around marginalized communities has been steadily increasing since last year, Brooks said. Immigrants, African Americans and Muslims are the top three affected groups post-election, with a rise in incidents in K-12 schools, business locations and college campuses. Additionally, Brooks said that the organization has recorded 1,372 hate crimes between the day after the election and Feb. 7. “Hate never really goes away,” said Ashlyn Murrell, freshman in global public health. “It’s always kind of been there throughout history and it finds a way to resurface
no matter how much we fight it. I think it’s important now more than ever to really give it a face and be able to fight back and show people this isn’t our America – show people that we’re ready to fight.” There are currently 27 active hate groups in Alabama, with many being state-wide, according to Brooks. One group may have multiple chapters throughout the state, and many recruit a large amount of members from college campuses. Murrell said she was shocked to learn that incidences of Islamophobia are occurring at a higher rate than they were post9/11. For her, the issue is a personal one and attending the lecture helped her to understand the importance of standing up and fighting hate. “I have to fight,” Brooks said. “I’m from a historically marginalized community. I’m black, I’m a woman, I’m a lesbian. I have to fight or die.” Sufia Alam can be reached at sufia@uab.edu.
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR Lecia Brooks answers student questions following her presentation on modern-day hate crimes.
opinion Spring 2017 Chandler Jones Editor-in-Chief editor@insideuab.com
Tessa Case Managing Editor managing@insideuab.com
Surabhi Rao Community Editor community @insideuab.com
Jack Ryan Sports Editor sports@insideuab.com
Jason Grover Life and Style Editor features@insideuab.com
Ian Keel Photo Editor photos@insideuab.com
Tamara Imam Branding and Outreach Manager online@insideuab.com
Emily Cox-Oldham Assistant Photo Editor xander93@uab.edu
Kristina Balciunaite Assistant Branding and Outreach Manager asstonline@insideuab.com
Page 3 March 7, 2017
CITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Big stakes on ‘ham city future Connor McDonald Opinions Columnist
B
irmingham is the largest city in Alabama — for now. The City of Huntsville is projected to overtake Birmingham as the largest city in the state in a matter of years. That said, Birmingham is still comfortably the largest metropolitan area, and that’s not going to change any time soon. According to the 2010 Census, the total population of the Birmingham-Hoover Metro is north of 1.1 million people, which is a lot compared to the 212,000 people that live within Birmingham city limits. The BHM obviously has a suburbanization problem — or solution, depending on how you view it. This isn’t that unusual for an American city, though, and it’s especially not unusual when considering Birmingham’s history of segregation and pollution. Suburbanization ran rampant in Birmingham during the era of white flight and the rise of the automobile, according to a study done by Auburn University. The office park, a hallmark of the suburbs, was even invented here. The nation’s first office park, literally called ‘Office Park,’ was built in the king of
the suburbs, Mountain Brook, entire area is integral to its in 1955. Businesses have been stagnant growth. Businesses fleeing the city ever since – un- are just simply not willing to til recently, that is, according take a risk and relocate here to the marker within the Ofwhen all of our neighboring fice Park’s boundaries. cities are on their grind. This has created a This absence of unity weird power-dynamic is more than just an within Birmingham issue of urban versus unlike most other top suburban. The lack of 50 metropolitan areas. cohesiveness incentivizes Nowadays, there isn’t municipalities to further really a single domiMcDonald reject unity in favor of nant city in the BHM. promoting their own Suburbs like Hoover, Mounself-interest. tain Brook, Vestavia Hills and It’s every town for itself Homewood have collectively around here. shared that burden with a In 2016, Irondale tried to declining Birmingham for lure the BHM’s only Merdecades now. cedes-Benz dealership from The suburban dream has Hoover by an offer of $13 started to reach its limits, million in tax incentives. Can though. The BHM’s growth is we all take a moment to realpathetic compared to its rival ize how much of an enormous metros. The national trend for waste of money that is? The decades has been the decline BHM doesn’t gain any growth of Rust Belt cities followed by from that whatsoever. When the growth of Sunbelt cities. looking at the regional econNashville, Charlotte and Atomy as a whole, it is entirely lanta were not that different a waste of millions of dollars. from Birmingham 60+ years That’s just what makes headago, but you wouldn’t know lines, though. that just by looking at them The real cost is the enorthese days. mous waste created by every These cities can promote municipality running and themselves as business desmanaging its own services. tinations today because of The amount of money wastdecades of planning and orga- ed by not having metro-wide nization by their metro areas. services is unknown, but what The BHM’s inability to unify is known is that unifying these and plan for the future of the services in other metro areas
has saved millions of dollars over time. The lack of unified planning for the region is the real kicker, though. Centralized planning would have both undeniably saved money and been a far better long-term investment than the alternative of doing nothing that local leaders decided to go with. At what seems to be the only potential turning-point left in Birmingham’s history, it’s important that we consider all of this. Birmingham is experiencing a sort of cultural renaissance unlike almost anything else in its past and people outside the area have taken notice. The number of positive news stories I’ve seen about Birmingham in national publications has been increasing for several years, and hometown pride is at an all-time high. The only way to grow both the suburbs and the city together is by centralizing as much as possible. Local leaders need to take advantage of what is possibly the only opportunity they have to do it right. I would hate to see this period become another classic ‘Atlanta stole our airport’ moment. Connor McDonald can be reached at conmcdon@uab.edu.
Chris St. John Head Opinions Columnist cstjohn@uab.edu
Sufia Alam Campus Reporter sufia@uab.edu
Wallace Golding Community Reporter wsgoldin@uab.edu
Trinity Dix Sports Reporter tri915@uab.edu
Connor Gentry Sports Reporter gcgentry@uab.edu
Anthony Roney Online Reporter sufia@uab.edu
Connor McDonald Opinions Columnist
ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/HEAD ILLUSTRATOR
theconmcdon@uab.edu
Marie Sutton Advisor masutton@uab.edu
Patrick Johnson Production Manager plj3@uab.edu
The Kaleidoscope functions as a memeber of UAB Student Media in association with UABTV, BlazeRadio and Aura. Website: UAB.edu/kscope Twitter @UABkscope Facebook facebook.com/uabkscope/ Instagram instagram.com/ uabkscope/ The Kaleidoscope is produced in the office of UAB Student Media. Suite 130 Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd. Birmingham, 35233 (205) 934-3354
EDITORIAL BOARD
Managing March midterm madness Chris St. John Head Opinions Columnist
T
hank God midterm week is over. I wonder, though, when professors plan their tests who are they thinking about? Why can’t they communicate with each other about schedules? Sometimes it feels like they are truly conspiring against us. The pressure of relearning and memorizing dozens of facts in a short period can make a student desperate and think taking serious drugs to help them study. It wouldn’t be so bad if the midterm results did not weigh on the final grade, and thereby on the student’s shoulders, so heavily. I have been in two classes, taught by the same professor, with back-to-back midterms.
This conjunction frustrated choice but out of survival. me, because this professor Studying for these tests, while knew I was in both classes doing homework for these and would have to suffer classes, can cause a person a both tests. One on Monday, lot of test anxiety. Also, if I’m the other on Tuesday. memorizing facts for Sometimes, you can get multiple classes on simreally lucky and have ilar subjects, the infortwo tests on the same mation can get scramday, one at 8 a.m., and bled and make recall the other at 9 a.m. extremely difficult. I had a Philosophy It would be awesome of Law midterm, had St. John if we could get dead to pack my back pack, days at UAB. These walk from Humanities Buildare days before the midterms ing to Heritage Hall, and take and finals that no classes, or a Finite Math Midterm. My events, are offered. Giving the brain was fried that day. student body a completely UAB has a little-known free Thursday and Friday to rule that says if you have study for the tests the followmore than two finals on the ing week. same day, you can have one I do understand that this moved. This would be great massive amount of work is if it could also be applied to part of the college experience. midterms. However, I believe professors I procrastinate not out of would get better results from
the students if they possibly talked with another professor and coordinated their midterms so they didn’t fall on the same day. Obviously, with thousands of students at this school, there will scheduling conflicts, especially since the professors are on a schedule themselves. However, it feels like they’re not even trying. Especially when each professor assigns homework as if theirs is the only class you’re taking. I believe the professors in the same department could at least look out for those students in their department, and, perhaps, they could lighten the load for midterm week. Chris St. John can be reached at cstjohn@uab.edu and on Twitter @cstjohn416.
community
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March 7, 2017
DEVELOPMENT
Landbank paints needed picture of progress City program to sell abandoned and vacant lots to revitalize area Surabhi Rao Community Editor Birmingham is taking a page out of the books of other cities in America that face the need for revitalization, such as Flint, Detroit and Philadelphia. With over 10,000 neglected lots that have not fully pay their taxes, about 10 percent of Birmingham’s parcels qualify for the Land Bank Authority. The Land Bank Authority is a city program that takes properties that are at least five years behind on taxes and puts them back into use by selling them far below the market value while putting them back on tax rolls, which negates the tax debt. A board of directors consisting of seven members collaborates
with the city to support the Land Bank. Phil Amthor, a city planner who works on the Land Bank Authority for Birmingham, said Birmingham is a “rustbelt” city, which means it is a formerly industrial city that has lost jobs and companies through industrialization of the global economy. Vacant abandoned lots and houses become tax-delinquent, which has a negative domino-effect on the community. The Land Bank was formed to rectify this. After the enabling legislation was passed in 2013, the Land Bank officially started in 2014. “The back-taxes may be more than the properties are worth, and there’s just no market for it,” Amthor said. “The Land Bank basically
wipes away the taxes by acquiring properties for free. The Land Bank Authority saves thousands of dollars and years in the process of putting the property back into productive use.” Aside from the initial purchase, the Land Bank requires that owners plan to use the property within the next two years for whatever business, residential or other use they propose. This way, civilians get an opportunity to turn over new businesses, and the city is assured with the prospect of new businesses and revitalization efforts coming forth in otherwise neglected areas. John Colon, the director of Community Development, is a member of the staff that worked to pass the legislation and carry forth the Land Bank Authority. He oversees the program on behalf of the Land Bank and the City of Birmingham.
“I think anyone who is aspiring to become a homeowner or an investor would see this as a tremendous opportunity to acquire property at a low cost,” Colon said. “We are selling properties for a fraction of the market price. You can essentially acquire a vacant lot or a vacant property for $3,500.” Of the properties for sale, all of which can be found on the Land Bank Authority’s website, about 500 have been sold to individuals that have varying intentions. A few owners bought deserted lots considered nuisances right next to their current homes that they may have already been working to maintain. Aside from the initial purchase, the Land Bank requires that owners plan to use the property within the next two years for whatever business, residential or other use they propose. This way, civilians get an opportunity to start on
their business ideas, and the city is assured with the prospect of new businesses and revitalization efforts coming forth in otherwise neglected areas. “We really leave it up to the interested party, but if it’s a home, it needs to be boarded up and secured if it’s not going to be occupied,” Colon said. “Even the contingency is nominal.” According to Colon, the city saves thousands by extracting the cost of maintaining these lots. The cost burden is decreasing and neighborhoods are starting to look better. As the Land Bank’s original project planners had hoped, the community is being stabilized, property values are going up and the city can reallocate those funds to improve other parts of the city. Surabhi Rao can be reached community@insideuab.com and on Twitter @Cityrao17.
CITY COUNCIL
Cutting the cost of healthy groceries Program incentives clean eating among the poor and needy Surabhi Rao Community Editor The Birmingham City Council experienced yet another full house today at their weekly meeting. Most discussion centered on Item 17, which introduced a Healthy Food Incentive Program to maximize clean food choices for the poor and needy in the city. “The food incentive is designed to help citizens who meet low income requirements so that we can be able to take taxes, at least, off of the food,” said Lashunda Scales, councilor of District 1. “We know that everything else is taxed, and quality of life is high but we are trying to do is at least provide some kind of relief through this type of ordinance for our city. We have various grocery stories that The Healthy Food Incentive Program is not set to run until the 20172018 fiscal year, but the Council is on the hunt for administrators now. These administrators will organize applications for civilians who qualify for this program and will communicate with participating grocery stores. Despite a $2 million cap on the program, the council expects to influence thousands of qualifying Birmingham residents in a positive manner. The idea is simple: if you qualify for the program, you can buy grocery items designated as “healthy” choices with funding that you receive from the city. A prime example would be someone earning $18,000 per annum. This person could theoretically receive a $50 card to cut the cost of specific food such as fruits, vegetables and wheat bread. “As I understand it to be, they will receive a little card like that they will be able to swipe, which can be compared to food stamps,” Scales said. “We do have to have participating grocery stores to be a part of this program. The foods that they purchase have to fit within that criteria.” This item was unanimously passed after pressing dialogue directed toward the Law Department members present at the meeting. Questions were raised about the timeline of bringing this resolution to the table, as the law department had allegedly started working on it in August. Scales expressed concern
“
That’s the last thing that I would want a student to be concerned about, is how am I going to eat? ...And so, because of that, we at least want to provide relief even for students, so that you can eat healthy. If you have a healthy life then you will be able to have a healthy school year.”
Humans of Birmingham
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PHOTO BY SURABHI RAO/ COMMUNITY EDITOR Robin Riddle and her husband now work as physical therapists after meeting at UAB during graduate school.
—Lashunda Scales over the efficiency of the system, and the drawbacks that focus on technicalities put on items when it came to the underprivileged, who need the Council’s help the most. “You know, justice is supposed to be blind but you’re all peeping,” Steven Hoyt, council president pro tempore of District 8, said. “I’m getting tired of it, and it’s not getting any better. I have never seen the Law Department operate in this way as I’ve seen of late. I’ve never seen it so political in my entire 12 years on this council.” According to the United Health Foundation, 33.5 percent of the adult population in Alabama is obese. Across the nation, Alabama is ranked number 43 in physical activity. “Let me tell you, I’ve been a student myself in college and so I understand the need to be able to have assistance,” Scales said. “That’s the last thing that I would want a student to be concerned about, is how am I going to eat? How am I going to eat today? It causes distractions, and we know that. And so, because of that, we at least want to provide relief even for students, so that you can eat healthy. If you have a healthy life then you will be able to have a healthy school year.” Surabhi Rao can be reached community@insideuab.com and on Twitter @Cityrao17.
I’ve been a physical therapist at UAB going on 11 years now. I planned to be a PT since high school. Getting to meet people from all walks of life and different goals and purposes of living is so much fun. If it keeps you happy, keep on going, you know? I work with the general adult population with general and acute injuries. I see a lot of chronic back pain. We as a society should move more. I hope to make one person’s life more livable and enjoyable at a time.” — Robin Riddle
GOLDEN TEMPLE Visit us during these times for Tarot readings: Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
&
Sundays: Noon to 5 p.m.
Contact us: (205) 933 - 8933 GOLDEN TEMPLE ~ 1901 11th Ave. S. ~ Birmingham, 35242
Life and Style
Page 5 March 7, 2017
SIDEWALK FESTIVAL
PHOTOS BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR “The said our name, and I jumped and said ‘Yes!’” Erin Mahaffey said. Mahaffey jumps up in excitement as her team, Diabetic Hummingbirds, is announced as the winners of the Jury Award for Sidewalk Scramble.
Lights, camera, scramble Short-film challenge brings the best of Alabama’s cinematography, creativity Chandler Jones Editor-In-Chief
I
t’s quiet inside the Carver Theater as a masked man creeps up a set of decrepit stairs on the screen at the front of the renovated auditorium. The hushed voices of the peanut gallery whisper of theory and opinion. Playing across the screen, the masked man runs toward a medicine cabinet scrambling to put its contents in his bag. The actor is quiet, using his head and hands to convey his lines. Browns and dulled greens overwhelm the scene’s color scheme lending an air of apocalyptic fear to the scene. An alien-like creature donned in black gear and equipped with a silver gun appears as if from nowhere shooting the provisional hunter. He quickly darts away, sliding a large knife out of his pocket. He hides quietly before rearing up to attack the creature. The two struggle before the hunter falls and dies from a shot to the head. The scene immediately opens to an overly clean, white lab with a shirtless subject ripping off a pair of virtual-reality glasses before speaking to a seated man wearing a lab coat and marking something on his clipboard. “We filmed it all in a day and edited it all on Sunday,” said the 17-year-old Jack Serra, producer of “Hunted,” the winner of the Audience Award for best short film of the 2017 Sidewalk Scramble. Serra is part of Troop 5 along with the 18-year-old Noah Bee, audio technician, and 19-year-old Jackson Ross, cinematographer. The Sidewalk Scramble team tasked this young group to create a five-minute video themed “Syfy and Sports.” The team drove out to Calera to film in an abandoned hotel. They spent all night creating costumes and writing scripts. Scramble is a 48-hour filmmaking competition. Teams are assigned genres and have a small window to create a short film with a prop and a line of dialogue they have to use, according to Noah Cannon, the marketing coordinator and education/
305 people came out to the Carver Theater, March 2 to watch the 27 short-films on display for the Sidewalk Scramble. BELOW CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Diabetic Hummingbirds stand on stage holding their awards for winning the Jury Award for their film “Double Jump.” Noah Cannon serves as the marketing coordinator and education/outreach coordinator for Sidewalk. Troop 5 stands on stage with their awards after being given the Audience Award for the Sidewalk Scramble.
outreach coordinator for Sidewalk. “For this particular Scramble, teams were given two different genres,” Cannon said. “The idea is they would sort of clash and have to make due with clashing genres. We had a musical courtroom genre. We had a supernatural western. There are a lot of nontraditional combos that we saw.” This round’s props were a salt-and-pepper shaker and the line of dialogue was “Two heads are better than one.” Sidewalk works to promote filmmaking and inspire the appreciation of film in Birmingham and cultivate Birmingham’s theater district. “Scramble, I think, is an opportunity,” Cannon said. “There is not a whole lot of purely creative opportunities for filmmakers in town. A lot of people are doing videography and doing more event-based work. This is something that is just purely throwing whatever you can at the wall and seeing what sticks. There are some really beautiful, bizarre ideas on display tonight and some that really work.” The Audience Award winners received $500, automatic acceptance into the Sidewalk Film Festival and four VIP passes.
The five-member Diabetic Hummingbirds took home the Jury Award for their film “Double Jump.” That team received $1,000, automatic acceptance into the Sidewalk Film Festival and five VIP passes. “It was a true labor of love,” Cannon said. To learn more about the activities that Sidewalk puts on, check out sidewalkfest. com.
Page 6 |Life & Style
The Kaleidoscope
March 7, 2017
SPOTLIGHT ON: JERAL LAVENDER II Jeral Lavender II Contributed Report I am the Editor-in-Chief for Aura Literary Arts Review. Videos games are my passion and I watch anime every day. I am know as the “gentle giant” among friends. I am the biggest weeb you’ll ever meet, but it adds style to my creative writing. I started writing when I was in middle school. I wrote short stories and poetry with inspiration from Ed-
gar Allen Poe. Once I started watching anime, my imagination took over and my works were on another level. My friends used to say my
stories were better than Stephan King and that really boosted my confidence. Nowadays, I write poetry when I feel the flow. When I have an idea for a poem, I write lines until my mind runs blank. I enjoy sharing my works with others and I am happy that I am able to at least reach the heart and mind of one person with every piece I write. Aura is a great way for me to meet new writers and artists. Not only are they amazing people, but their words of wisdom has helped my writing become better. I’ve noticed some of the greatest art and written pieces were done by students who weren’t English or Art majors.
Gray, fluffy, electric mound Rolling into the foreground Illuminates sky with bright flash Shakes ground with thunderous crash No qualm no concern An endless stream of water Harmonic cascade The sun shines, and so do I The sun brings light, and so do I The sun fell with it all, but not I I turn into the moon, shining my night light bright As I wash my dirty plate I realize I should wash my blemished slate Clean it vigorously, leave it spotless So my past is not a mess
BEHIND THE PEN Name: Jeral Lavender II, age 23 Major: Information Systems Art Medium: Poetry, spoken word Favorite Color: Yellow Advice for aspiring artists: The limit to your creation is yourself. If you believe you cannot write or draw anything particular, then you never will; however, the opposite is also true. Artist Spotlight is presented by Aura Literary Arts Review. Deadline for the Spring 2017 edition was Feb. 27.
Style profile Name: Milena Olivera Year: Senior Major: Music technology
Shop this look: Olivera is wearing her highschool sweatshirt topped off with a jean jacket from her mom’s closet, cuffed jeans from Rue 21, Amazon art socks and black vans.
Style Inspiration: “Usually, the people whose fashion styles I like, I don’t think I can pull off so I never wear anything similar to what they wear. I like to be comfortable since I’m on the go a lot so that usually what’s prioritized. I roll up my jeans to show off my socks because I think they’re cool.”
sports
Page 7 March 7, 2017
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR UAB Blazer junior Haley Jared, left, returns the ball over the net in a win against Austin Peay State University in their first weekend of action on Sunday, March 5.
Serving up a new season Jack Ryan Sports Editor On the sand courts of the West Campus Fields, the UAB Beach Volleyball team hung banners and smoothed the sand as they completed their final practice before hosting the Blazer Beach Duels. The Blazer Beach Duels was the opening tournament for the Blazers in their sixth season of action. UAB hosted Austin Peay State University, Jacksonville State University, Mercer University, University of New Orleans, Tulane University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. “This is our first home weekend here so we are super excited,” said UAB
Beach Volleyball Interim Head Coach Ashley Hardee. “There will be seven teams playing including Tulane. They are in our conference and ranked No. 15 in the country so we have some exciting games.” A typical game setup happens between five pairs. Each pair plays to 21 points in a best-of-three series. If opposing pairs both win a set, they enter a third-set tiebreaker to 15 points. Beach volleyball does not play in Conference USA like most other sports on campus. The Blazers play in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, which houses coastal teams from Florida State University to Tulane. “It is different than other
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sports,” Hardee said. “There is no automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. We are encouraged to play everyone in our conference. We have Florida State at No. 2 in the country, LSU, South Carolina and other really good teams in our conference. We try to play them all. We have a conference tournament in April where we all get together and play in Atlanta.” The sport started to grow over recent years. Austin Peay debuted their team for the first time in NCAA competition. UAB hosted the first game of collegiate beach volleyball against Florida State six years ago. The sport recently moved to being recognized as an NCAA competitive sport in 2015, according
to UABSports.com. “Eventually it’s going to be at all schools,” said junior Gabbi Moreno. “Now you see young girls with Amateur Athletic Union teams for beach volleyball. I wish we had that. We started as indoor players, and then we get converted into beach players. I think it’s really cool how the sport is developing so quickly, and that everyone is wanting to start at a young age and play in college.” Because of its relative youth, the Blazers have not developed a major rival but can point to teams they look forward to playing annually. “Mercer is always big competition for us,” said red-shirt junior Avery
Hoven. “In conference, we want to redeem ourselves. That’s a big goal for us.” Going into the season, Mercer was UAB’s most common opponent. UAB holds an 8-6 record all-time against Mercer. After the first weekend of play, UAB went 4-1 with wins over Jacksonville State, New Orleans, ULM and Austin Peay. UAB’s lone loss was to No. 15 Tulane on Saturday. The Blazes’ next home appearance will not be until April when they host the University of Tennessee-Martin and Lincoln Memorial University. Jack Ryan can be reached at sports@insideuab.com and on Twitter @kscope_sports.
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Page 8 | Sports
The Kaleidoscope
March 7, 2017
BASKETBALL
UAB flies past FAU Owls Cokley’s strong second half propels the Blazers to a twenty-point victory Connor Gentry Sports Reporter The UAB Men’s Basketball team (16-14, 9-8) squared off with the Owls of Florida Atlantic University (10-18, 6-11) on Thursday, March 2. The Blazers were looking to boost their confidence and improve their seeding heading into the Conference USA tournament. “I thought it was a good performance for our team,” said UAB Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rob Ehsan. “We talked about building momentum heading into next week and I feel like
we did that. I thought there were some times that we could have played better, but for the most part I thought the energy was good. The guys really played together and they played with some confidence.” FAU connected on 21 of their 61 shots for 34.4 percent. Of those 61 shots, 24 of them were three-pointers. However, the Owls only made six of their 24 three-point attempts. The Owls made 11 of their 12 free throws, however, for 91.7 percent. Adonis Filer led the Owls in scoring with 15 points on five of
PHOTO BY EMILY COX-OLDHAM/ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Senior guard Denzel Watts studies the offense against the Owls.
10 shooting. Ronald Delph collected six missed shots to lead the rebounding effort for FAU. Delph also contributed 12 points on five of seven shooting for FAU. UAB attempted 54 shots and made 31 of them for 57.4 percent shooting. The Blazers also shot five of 10 from beyond the arc. Of those 31 shots, 16 of them were made on assists. “I feel really good,” said senior guard Denzell Watts. “We shared the ball and got momentum going. Our defense was really good. We locked down on [FAU’s] sets and got some stops which allowed us to get up and down [the court].” Junior forward Chris Cokley led the Blazers in scoring with 19 points on eight of 11 shooting. Cokley also grabbed six rebounds, had two steals and blocked two shots for the Blazers. Junior forward William ‘HaHa’ Lee tallied 17 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and a steal for the double-double. Lee is closing in on Alan Ogg’s record for career blocks at UAB.
Senior forward Tosin Mehinti chipped in 10 points of his own and was one rebound shy of a double-double too, with nine. “Just get them [Cokley, Mehinti and Lee] the ball,” said Watts. “I know if I get them the ball that 90 percent of the time they are going to make the shot.” Cokley had foul trouble early in the game and sat on the bench most of the first half, having only scored one point on a free throw. In the second half, Cokley was able to play and scored 18 of his 19 points. He was the leading scorer for the Blazers while only playing 18 minutes for the entire game. “It’s not always tough,” Cokley said. “I’m a team player and I don’t really dwell on myself if I’m having a bad half. I always cheer my team on.” Freshman guard Javien Williams had the play of the game with a tomahawk slam-dunk over FAU’s seven-foottall Ronald Delph. The Blazers defeated the Owls by a final score of 79 to 59. 4 seniors. Connor Gentry can be reached at zcgentry@uab.edu and on Twitter @zcgentry.
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR The UAB Men’s Basketball team huddles around each other before the final game of the regular season in Bartow Area.
Disappointment shakes city Panthers defeat Blazers for second time this year during senior night Trinity Dix Sports Reporter The UAB Men’s Basketball team played the Florida International University Panthers at Bartow Arena. UAB looked to avenge the nine-point loss they received on Jan. 21. Instead of a win, the Blazers had a bittersweet defeat on senior night, where seniors Hakeem Baxter, Tyler Madison, Tosin Mehinti, Denzell Watts and Dirk Williams played their last home game. The Blazers caught up to the Panthers but were never able to pull away. The Panthers shot 46.6 percent of their field goals versus the Blazers’ 31.7 percent. Rob Ehsan, UAB Men’s Basketball head coach, stated in the pregame that FIU was one of the better teams in the conference despite the record they have. “We had a really difficult time with really fast, smaller guards, especially [with] keeping them out of the paint,” Ehsan said. “Given
all that, we shot zero of 15 from three in the second half. I would guess ten of those were pretty good open looks that we would take again.” One of the fast guards Ehsan spoke of was FIU’s Eric Nottage who had 12 assists by the end of the game. His assists were one more than the Blazers’ combined 11. In the locker room between halves, Ehsan said he felt UAB had the energy to come out and play harder. However, they hit an offensive lull and could not overcome the Panthers. When UAB was unable to hit the 3-point shot, UAB looked to feed the post players and pick up an edge over the Panthers. “We were saying throw the ball inside, but they front the post,” Ehsan said. “They worked on top of the post, and then they try to make [us] throw over them. So, some of those passes don’t look as open as they are.”
During the game, UAB was ineffective boxing out after a shot went up. This allowed the Panthers to grab offensive rebounds and score second-chance points. Baxter, who scored a total of 14 points, attempted to carry the team on his back and keep them in the game. His effort proved to be too little too late. “This was my last game in Bartow,” Baxter said. “[I thought] just be aggressive without being selfish and just try to take those shots as much as possible.” UAB lost to FIU for the second time this season 6856. This brought their overall record to 16-15 and their C-USA record to 9-9. UAB finished the regular season in a tie with Western Kentucky University for seventh place in the conference. As a result, the Blazers will play in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers in round one of the C-USA Tournament on March 8. Tipoff is at 5:30 p.m. Trinity Dix can be reached at tri95@uab.edu.
Win or go home: Mid-major pain Conference USA teams fight for ring, automatic bid to Big Dance Connor Gentry Sports Reporter
I
t is finally March and that means three things: spring is in the air, spring break is right around the corner and it is the best time of year if you are a basketball fan. Conference tournaments for both men’s and women’s basketball have begun and the NCAA Tournament begins in just two short weeks. Before the “Big Dance” occurs, Conference USA, as well as many other conferences, need to crown a champion. The champion of these tournaments get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In Conference USA, not every team gets to play in the tournament. Only 14 of the 16 teams, for both men and women, get to participate while the bottom two teams in the conference do not get invited. Birmingham, for the third straight year, is the host city of the C-USA tournament. All men’s basketball games will be played in the Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex while the first two rounds of the women’s part of the tournament will be played in Bartow Arena. On the women’s side of the tournament, there could be any one of the three top teams-- Western Kentucky University, Middle Tennessee State University or the University of Southern Mississippi-- winning the tournament. However, having watched Western Kentucky, I believe the Lady Hilltoppers will take the women’s title assuming there are no major upsets. WKU has had little to no issues this season. They currently hold a 24-6 (16-2) record. Those two losses, to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of Texas at San Antonio, were upsets. The Lady Hilltoppers beat No. 23 Indiana University and gave No. 8 University of Louisville a run for their money when they only lost by four points. The UAB Women’s Basketball Team has struggled some this season and hold a 1514 (8-10) record going into the tournament. The Lady Blazers have kept many of their games against strong opponents close and lost four by a combined total of eight points. UAB nearly handed No. 21 Depaul University a loss but fell short by ten points. UAB is completely capable of going on a run through the tournament, but consistency has been an issue this season. The Lady Blazers should win at least their first game of the tournament, but keep an eye on them as they could make some noise. There are two men’s teams that have the best chance to win the con-
ference tournament this year. I believe either the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders or the University of Texas at El Paso Miners will take the title and automatic bid. First, let’s take a look at the Blue Raiders. MTSU has been a force to be reckoned with this year. They currently boast a 25-4 record and sit atop C-USA. Their two most notable wins are both against Southeastern Conference foes, the University of Mississippi Rebels and the Vanderbilt University Commodores. MTSU beat Ole Miss by 15 points at Ole Miss and defeated Vanderbilt by 23 in Murfreesboro. Their lone conference loss came against UTEP in February. However, history does not favor the Blue Raiders as a No. 1 seed has never won the C-USA tournament. As for UTEP, things could not have started off much worse for the Miners. They began the season 2-13. Yes, you read that correctly. Not only did they start the season poorly, UTEP had two players leave the program before conference play started in January, too. However, since then, the Miners could finish the season going 13-2 over the last 15 games with two games remaining. UTEP currently sits tied for No. 3 with Louisiana Tech University. The Miners’ biggest win this season was a major upset of MTSU in El Paso. The Miners since then have shown the signs of a team with something to prove. I would compare them to the UAB team from the 2015 C-USA tournament that started the season off 4-9 and was able to make it into the tournament as a top four seed. That UAB team then went on to win the tournament and shock Iowa State University in the NCAA Tournament. UAB’s men’s team was picked before the season began to win the conference tournament and represent C-USA in the NCAA tournament. However, this went south within the first 13 minutes of the Blazer’s first regular season game when starting point guard, Nick Norton, tore his ACL trying to steal a pass. Since that fateful incident, the Blazers have struggled to find their identity on offense with the lack of their veteran ball handler. I do not see the Blazers winning the tournament this season simply because of this fact. They could make a run and win the first game or two, but they do not possess, and have not shown, the consistency needed to string together several big, high pressure wins. Connor Gentry can be reached at zcgentry@uab.edu and on Twitter @zcgentry.
March 7, 2017
The Kaleidoscope
Hotel From Page 1
upgrade,” Deason said. “Modern, modern, modern.” She says the the rebranded hotel will include hardwood floors to replace carpet in all rooms, a more open lobby, barn doors, area rugs and will have a more “homey” feel, although the overall footprint of the building will not change. “We’re going to take it to the next level,” she said. According to Deason, the hotel, which has been in operation since 1986, was known as Pickwick Hotel before being rebranded into Hotel Highland. The building itself has been around since the 1930s, when it served as the Medical Arts Building. “This is our stomping ground,” Deason said. “This is where we want everyone to be.” Deason expects that Hotel Indigo will drive economic growth not only within the hotel, but within the larger Five Points area, which is often criticized as not functioning as the true entertainment
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center of the city. The project follows the recent addition of the Homewood Suites by Hilton on 20th Street South in Five Points, which opened its doors last month. “It’s going to make Five Points the place to be,” Deason said. “Having two very nice, upscale properties right here at their fingertips, and that they can walk to anything really, why wouldn’t they stay here?” For Deason, the expected success of the new hotel is a community affair. “We love this community and we love being part of it and helping it grow and thrive,” she said. “It’s important to be supportive of what our neighbors are doing, and then the support comes back as well. We’re so happy to be here.” Hotel Indigo is expected to be complete around September of this year. The hotel will remain open throughout the renovation process. Tamara Imam can be reached at online@insideuab.com and on Twitter @uabkscope.
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR Hotel Indigo is expected to be complete around September of this year. The hotel will remain open throughout the renovation process.
Love
From Page 1
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR Mugdha Mokashi spent two years on USGA’s Executive Cabinet, three years in Student Multicultural and Diversity Programs, three years in leadership roles of the Science and Technology Honors Program Executive Council and has formed two student organizations.
Mokashi From Page 1
her position and plans on using her title to successfully represent the beliefs of USGA members as well the entire undergraduate student body. Mokashi spent two years on USGA’s Executive Cabinet, three years in leadership positions on UAB’s Student Multicultural and Diversity Programs, three years in leadership roles of the Science and Technology Honors Program Executive Council and has formed two student organizations including women in science, engineering and math as well as Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equality at UAB. “I have a significant amount of training in diversity education and social justice, which I believe is critical for a university that is as active, progressive and forward thinking as our own,” Mokashi said. If elected, Mokashi plans on changing some foundations of USGA. “I would love to continue to diversify all branches with students from all parts of campus. During my time as director of student issues, I focused specifically on creating data-driven USGA policy decisions through
surveys on dining, parking and safety,” Mokashi said. “I think that part of making USGA accessible to all students is collecting data on what students want, and then shifting our structure to meet that ideal.” Mokashi focused her platform on campus sustainability, increased student support and services, student equity and inclusion and student activism and engagement. Students who are friends with her have supported her candidacy and her platform. “Mugdha is the perfect candidate because she is fearless when it comes to advocating for students and making change,” said Catherine McCarty, junior in neuroscience. “There are a lot of topics such as dining, disability, sexual assault, campus safety, diversity and administrator accountability that are perceived as controversial and can be easy for student leaders to avoid. Mugdha’s past experiences serving on USGA and in SMDP have prepared her to tackle these tough issues for students.” Students who would like to learn more about Mokashi’s platform can contact her at mmokashi@uab. edu. Sufia Alam can be reached at sufia@uab.edu.
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL/PHOTO EDITOR Jimmeshia Wilder serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, as programs coordinator for the USGA and was an intern with the senior athletic director.
Wilder From Page 1
director. She said she hopes to use her experience serving in an advisory role and working with generating funding for scholarships, capital projects and facilities to aid her in making the best decisions for the student body as USGA president. “In my years in college thus far, I have dedicated myself to the betterment of others,” she said. “If you looking for a person who is devoted to creating better opportunity and environment for you, then I am highly qualified.” Wilder’s also hopes to address diversity on campus and to create a sense of unity as an undergraduate class. “As an AfricanAmerican woman, I am still a minority,” Wilder said. “Instead of allowing this to hinder me, it encourages me to take advantage of every opportunity presented to me.” Wilder is the programs coordinator for the USGA. According to her, this role allowed her to create events centered on major issues faced by students. These included typical issues such as dining and parking but also included societal issues, such as racism, gun violence, mental health and LGBT equality. Wilder said that organizing these events is what let her know what issues students are facing and allowed her to become
aware of what students want. “While UAB boasts one of the most diverse and intellectual campuses in the United States, there is much improvement to be done in the sectors of unity, student life and academics on our campus,” she said. Wilder said that while the structure of the current USGA has a good foundation, current aspects has room for improvement. As president, she wants to give every student a voice and improve the relationship between the student body and the USGA. “I believe that Jimmeshia would be a great candidate for USGA president because she is always willing to go that extra mile to help out others in need,” said Kandiss Briggs, senior in industrial distribution and marketing. “She is selfless, generous and she cares about the well-being of the whole.” Students who would like to learn more about Wilder’s platform can contact her at jimwild4@uab.edu.
aims to grapple with annually, but this one carries a more personal weight for one of the organization’s founders, Lillis Taylor. As UAB’s artist in residence of the Institute for Arts in Medicine and a co-founder of Bib and Tucker, Taylor cites a particular event nearly five years ago for contributing to the theme’s inspiration. In 2012, after attending an event focused on racism in the South, Taylor discussed the issue with her co-founder, Annie Bryant. “Our experiences in Birmingham have been very different thanks to age and race,” Taylor said. “I was shocked and dismayed at the hold racism has on our institutions. At that moment, it was clear to me how far we have yet to go as a community to work on this issue.” The event itself carries a much heavier weight in the minds of Taylor and Bryant, however. It inspired the March Quilt Project as a whole, but this year is especially important given the racial implications the ruling held combined with the current national political scene. “Each year, we choose an issue that may be controversial so that we can try to have conversations that inform, if not persuade,” Taylor said. “Love is love. That’s the message we are trying to send.” The project is intended to serve as a platform for the cooperative’s members to voice their opinions on both national and local issues. The cooperative aims to promote community inclusion while also enabling Birmingham’s citizens to have their voices heard through a more artistic and less concrete medium. “Our members can sometimes feel that their voices aren’t being heard in the national political arena and so local and small actions can help us feel a bit more empowered,” Taylor said. “We try to focus on having conversations in our own libraries, parks and hospitals that will lead to some form of understanding.” In the coming years, Taylor plans to facilitate the project’s growth, allowing it to become a state-level and even a national-level venture. Previous issues that have addressed by the March Quilt Project include the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march of 1965 and the wage gap between different genders and races, which has persisted throughout history and into modernity. Those interested in participating in the March Quilt Project can visit Bibandtuckersewop.com for upcoming sewing sessions. Alternatively, quilt blocks can be mailed to their office at 4915B 5th Ave. S., Birmingham, 35222. For more information, contact Lillis Taylor at lillis@uab.edu. Wallace Golding can be reached at wsgoldin@uab.edu and on Twitter @WGolding_4.
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The Kaleidoscope
March 7, 2017
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